Chemical Engineering (PhD)

There are several research topics available for this degree. See below examples of research areas including an outline of the topics, the supervisor, funding information and eligibility criteria:

Arabinoxylans are potential co-products of biorefineries that could form a new class of functional food ingredients. The aims of this project are to extract AX from a variety of feedstocks under different processing conditions, and to characterise the extracts, in order to establish a feasible basis for commercial production of functional food ingredients in a biorefinery context.

The handling and disposal of desalination brines is a major environmental issue in all coastal countries, especially the arid ones (e.g. Mediterranean countries). The project will seek to explore alternative options for the reuse of brines (e.g. in the food industry), assess their technical and economic performance and identify the preconditions for their commercial application.

One of the main factors affecting the economic feasibility of a carbon, capture and utilization (CCU) value chain is the distance between the source and the sink. The project (a) will seek to define the optimal distance between alternative major sources and sinks and (b) will perform a mapping on a UK/European level to identify clustering opportunities.

We provide a supportive and vibrant research environment for postgraduate researchers (PGRs). Researchers at all levels are encouraged to contribute and collaborate. The Graduate School ensures that postgraduate research is of the highest quality and equips you with the resources that you need to become a successful researcher.

We have an exciting and comprehensive Researcher Skills Development Programme available to all postgraduate researchers. This enables you to broaden your knowledge and access tools and skills which can significantly improve employability. The programme is also mapped onto Vitae’s Researcher Development Framework (RDF), allowing you to benefit from Vitae support as well as our own Programme.

We offer skills training through a programme designed to take advantage of technology platforms as well as face-to-face workshops and courses. The University has subscribed to Epigeum, a programme of on-line research training support designed and managed by staff at Imperial College London which will be accessed via Brightspace, the University’s Virtual Learning Environment. We also subscribe to the University of East Anglia webinar series and The Good Doctorate video training series. We are part of the North West and Yorkshire PGR Training Group that allows PGRs to attend relevant training opportunities at other nearby universities.